1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to veterinary tools and, more particularly, to a veterinary pill and capsule delivery device for simplifying the dispensing of pills and capsules to animals.
2. Description of the Background
Most of the time medication is prescribed for pets in the form of either a pill or a capsule. As every pet owner knows, it is difficult to get a pill into the back of an animal's mouth, particularly by one person; yet it is almost impossible to get the pet to swallow the pill or capsule even if one can get it into the back of the animal's mouth. Animals are capable of holding the medication in their esophagus for several minutes and then spitting it out.
There is a commercially-available device called a Piller that helps to deposit the pill into the mouth, but does not facilitate swallowing. Without a method to induce swallowing, the pet attempts to push out the pill or holds it in the mouth or throat, only to spit it out later.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,805 to Sutton issued Dec. 17, 1996 shows an animal pill-dispenser gun designed for pushing a pill into the throat of cattle and other animals to administer medicine with a sleeve and a core extending through the interior of the outer member and up into the barrel of the gun.
Unfortunately, none of the foregoing or any other known veterinary devices help to ensure that the pill that has been inserted is then swallowed.
Thus, there is a significant commercial need for a pill-dispenser that not only deposits a pill in the animal's mouth, but also induces them to swallow.